Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-04

gether, moving gradually southwest, ana
themselves on the way by these
marvellous Notifications and earthworks,
which they constructed as they progressed,
and finally disappearing in Mexico, either
conquering that country or intermingIing
and becoming absorbed by that people. This
is only a theory and hardly tenable; else the
ethnic relations would certainly point to this
conclusion in the remains snd skeletons al
ready examined.
Ignatius Donnelly arrives at the conclusion
that the mounds were among the last works
by the Mound Builders: the bones
therein being the remains of the bloody con-
tests in which they were driven from their
homes. This is probably true to certain
extent; the large mounds were evidently not
all built at once, but may have been hundreds
of years in process of erection, in the same
way that modern tribes of Indians built
stone piles over the graves of their dead
chief, stone at time. The fortihcations
were undoubtedly more recent and built when
the Mound Builders we're being driven out of
the country.
Ferdinand DeSoto and his army were the
first to discover the mounds, and mention is
frequently made of them by the historians of
that illfated expedition. Some of the vii
lages were surrounded by stockades, and were
used as Notifications by the then existing
tribes of Indians; the more elevated mounds
observation of their cacivues or chiefs, from
whence they could overlook their villages
There are many such mounds described IN
these narratives. On one mound. was a
terrace large enough to accommodate twelve
or thirteen large houses. One mound was
surrounded by terrace wide enough to ac-
commodate twelve horsemen abreast. These
were in the South, and near the Mississippi
river; throughout this whole region, from
Row on tho aoQat tn the MiaSiaa-
ippi and beyond, these ancient villages ap-
peared, then occupied by the various tribes
living in the South-the Greeks, Catawbas,
Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Quadpaws,
Kansas and presumably the Shawnees.
Prof. Newberry, generalizing the views of
the leading scientists, remarks that, from all
the facts before US, we can only say that the
sedentary, agricultural and partly civilized
race, quite different from the nomadic
Indians, and that after centuries of occupa-
tion, they disappeared, at least one thousand
and perhaps many thousand years before the
advent the Europeans. With this dictum
from so high source, we are willing to let
the question of their origin, habits, customs
and peregrinations rest. '..''.'
THE RELICS OF THE MOUND BUILDERS.
Before closing this account of the race, it
is we'll to notice briefly the implements made
and used by this curious people. Very few
copper implements have been found in this
part of Ohio, owing to the fact that the cop
per would have to be brought hither;- what
does exist in loose fragments on our soil has
been washed down from the upper lake re-
gion. When mounds are explored small
utensils are found scattersed through the
mass, and not always in close proximity to
the skeletons, The copper implements found
are generally small, from one to three pounds
at most in weight. They name from the
tempered to an exceeding hardness, like
steel. There were millions of these copper
implements in use during the Mound Build
ers' era: they are only found in the mounds,
as those left on the surface would soon disap-
pear by decomposition or trusting" as it is
commonly known. In many cases the slight
depth of earth over the skeletons has not pre-
vented this decomposition. Articles of
bronze are unknown to the Mound Builders,
except where tempered, and none has been
cast in moulds. So we can not Judge of the
artistic instincts of the race, as we can of the
aborigines who lived in the Bronze Age in
Europe. Besides, the Mound Builders left
no trace of a written language, thowing that
they had not reached the state Of develop
ment that distinguished man in the Bronze
ASO3 sWHACu Was pcEudpb bJAOAkOAAOuo "Abh
the age Of the Mound Builders. II Lv -.aSs w
Stone relics are very numerous, and Of course,
we'll preserved. Stone axes, mauls, hammers and
chisels are plentiful. OF these none were made
with holes, or eyes, for the insertion Of handle,
but always with groves OH the sides to receive
withe twisted into the shape of handle. These
stone weapons are found unpublished, partly pol
ished and polished. The bit was made eharp by
rubbing, and the material was hard, generally Of
trachyte greensboro, granite quartz or basalt. In
Ohio very rarely axes of stone found in mounds
indicating that they were not much priced as to
be buried with their owners. Occasionally axes Of
softer material are found, as slate, hematite and
sandstone; but these are small and not common
They appear to have been wrought into shape by
pick or Clipped instrument, the marks of which are
on nearly all OF them the bit is narrow and poorly
balanced; very seldom is the aterial hard enough
to cut green and sound timber. They are better
adapted for breaking than cutting, and clubs
than as tools; they range from half pound to six
teen pounds, while the average is perhaps not over
three pounds. Such axeswe occasionally found
in use among the Indian tribes who had found them
of service. Double-headed hammers have the grove
in the center. Their symmetry is perfect; as
weapons they must have been formidable, and were
found 60 when used by the modern red men.
Implements known as "heshers" or "skinners"
or "cets" were used mainly in skinning animals |;
they may have been used as charcoal scrapers TOO,
after wood had been burned for they were not hard
enough for chises, except when made of flint
Stone pestles are rare, and stone mortars rarer
STILL the latter may have been made of wood the
pestles were oil short and probably made for moy-
ing around IN circle in the mortar, for crushing
seeds or poundi grain. They were probably used
with one hand also. There is also an almost end
less variety of perforated plates known to US as
thread -sizers and shuttes; these are usually Of
striped slate, and have tapering holes through hem
the use OF which has been the subject Of conjecture
They may have been used as beads or ornaments,
badges or ensigns ofauthority Others, If strung
together on throngs or belts. they would make .
serviceable coat of mail. A number of them would
also serve in another capacity, that of twisting
twine or coarse threads made of bark, rawhide, or
sinew. But none OF them show signs Of wear by
being used; the edges Of the holes through them are
sharp and perfect, SO they not suspended orna
ments. Those Of shuttle form may have been used
for weaving rude cloth made of bark fbres or
fbrous plants, such as milkweed or nettles.
A great variety Of badges or wands of distinction
are also found They are of striped slate. gcner-
ally highly polished and finished. If they were
aiger and stronger they might have served as bat
tie axes ior hatohets, but the eyes or holes for
handlesare not over half en- inch In diameter, and
their edges are not sharp but rounded.
The form of badgeis knewn as the double Gre